Paster for wallpaper machines



March 20, 1951 A. THOMAS FASTER FOR WALLPAPER MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 17, 1945 March 20, 1951 A. THOMAS 2,545,905

FASTER FOR WALLPAPER MACHINES Filed Aug. 1'7, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 //VVEN 70 zfzffom cy' March 20, 1951 A. THOMAS FASTER FOR WALLPAPER MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 17, 1945 March 20, 1951 A. THOMAS FASTER FOR WALLPAPER MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 17, 1945 Patented Mar. 20, 1951 .IASTER FOR -WALLPAPER MACHINES Alexander 'Thnmas, Manchester. England "as- 'signnr to Hv'de 'Mamifacturing "Company,

Southbridge, Mass.

.. Application August 17. l945sserial N a m-"0,9637 .In Great Britain J une 17,1944 L'Se'ction' 1.:Pu'blic Law 690. A ugns't'k'igfli Patent expires June 17, 1964 2 Claims. (01.191 51) "Ellis invention relates-toimachines for pasting wallpaper ready ior hanging (the term wallpaper including "ceiling papen: display .paper in .rollxiform and-the like) with or without means .for severing the :selvedges irom the roll, where theserare present in-the. roll, but are notrequired inLthehung paper. .Ihe invention :aimsat providing an efiicient machine which (is readily transportable, being suited inter zalia to the Jobbing paperhanger who needs-to carry this tackle afrom jplace toplace; whichis'not .undulyilarge when packed .for transport; which .is .capable of dealing with papers of difierent thicknesses requiring .different .quantitiesef adhesive; and which .hasmeans for effecting easy .adjustment of .the working parts to allow vLior .wearand tear, and to .allow the user to obtain reasonably consistent results despite any variations .in Lthestiffiness and/or porosity of the ,papers, and in the viscosity of the adhesive. FIEheinven'tion is concerned with that type of machinein which there .is a frame or stand surmounted by a table andza .pasting device, thelastnamed consists of .a ,paste-box or trough with pasting roller therein, a pressure roller or equiv- .alentmeans .betweenwhich and the pasting roller the .paperpasses whilst being pasted, .and .a support for the .roll of unpasted paper. lhese several :parts are so disposed that the pasted paper passes around the pressure rollerand is pulled towards the table with itspasted side uppermost, which .arrangement lends itself to theusual custom of preparing a folded pasted length with a longffold at one :end, and a shorter fold at the other end. Acutting-ofE-device is provided for .:severing,.,:successive lengths of pasted paper.

"When it is desired to trim the edges of the paper,

.sayiorthe removal oiiselvedges, trimming cutters aremounted .on the said pasting device, usually so as'to operate before the :actual pasting takes" grades of paper requiredifferent degrees of, pasting,.some..callin g for a thicker coating of adhesive than others. .Again, these different grades of -paper, and especially the embossed :papers, result the rolls of standard yardage having v.di'ffierent "diameters, somee'f the embossed papers being. l-lsrseveral times the diameter f a of :imembossefl paper.

.isuapplied to the-paper. agreater deposit of paste.

A -pastingemachine or trimming .and pasting machine, to be universally adaptable should include means for varying the amount of adhesive applied and. shouldiinclude means .for receiving rolls of different diameters without the smaller rol-lsbeingtoo far removed :from the trimming and paste-applying devices, :and, .since the -machine is to be easi1y. -p0rtable, without the supports for thelazrger :rol-ls increasing the =overa1l dimensions @of the machine ibeyond convenient limits for portability. The-machines of the,present invention satisfy all these .desiderata, and also include -:other and .minor .features .of improvement applicable to a machine as above defined, vvhich will be made clear in the ensuing more particular description.

Another object of theinventionistheprovision of an improved wallpaperepasting machine which is provided with a pair of superimposed rollers which yieldingl-y engage each other and "between which the Web of paper to -be.r-;pasted passes, the lower :or v paste-applying roller having .a .resilient outer peripheral surface. This resilient structure-may comprise afplurality of annular rings carriedbythe.roller oritmay'comprise a winding of resilient fibrous material such as cord, or it may .be otherwise formed. '.The :pressure which this uppertor pressure roller may exert against thelower or paste-applying roller may be varied. Between the rings, or the convolutions in thecase of the continuous winding, there are recesses or depressions. Thus, as the pressure is increased the size :of the depressions is reduced due to the greaterrcompressionof the surface, andlessipaste Less :pressure .produoesa The various devices and mechanisms of the invention are illustrated -in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

.Eigrlis a-side elevation, partly in section, of a pasting device, with one :meansifor varying the gap between the two rrollers to vary the amount of adhesive 1 applied;

.Fig. 2 is a cross-.section'of the same on the line 2-2 of .Fig. :1;

.Fig. -3 :is a side view of an alternative mode of varying the gap;

:Fig. 4 is a viewsimilar to 'Fig. 1, but showing another means :for varying the said gapj;

Fig.5 isxa'side view-of the superimposed rollers wherein the lower or paste-applying roller is provided with a .vvindingrof resilient-cord.

Fig.6 is similar to Fig. 5, but shows a cord of smaller diameter. than that shown. 111355.15.

Fig, 7 is an enlarged brokensectionshowing-the the effect of increased pressure on the cord winding. Fig. 10 is a side view of a complete machine, with one form of extension table applied thereto;

Fig. 11 is a side view of the pasting portion of the machine of Fig. 10, with one form of extended supports for the roll of paper;

Fig. 12 illustrates a modified arrangement for the extended supports.

Fig. 13 is a plan of a part of the machineshown v in Fig. 10;

Fig. 14 is a sectional end view of the pasting devices shown in Figs. 11 and 13;

Fig. 15 is a transverse section of the pasting device showing one form of spreading means for the paste;

Fig. 16 is a transverse section of the pasting device showing a form of flexible squeegee wiping device;

Fig. 17 is a plan view of another form of wiper;

Fig. 18 is a view in elevation thereof;

Fig. 19 illustrates another wiper in plan; and

Fig. 20 is a view in elevation thereof.

Fig. 21 is a side view of a machine having an improved collapsible stand;

Fig. 22 is a view of the same machine packed for transport in a case constituted by the stand; and

Fig. 23 is a perspective view of alternative means for applying pressure to the sheet as it passes over the pasting roller;

Fig. 24 is an end view of a further pressureapplying means; and

Fig. 25 shows an improved construction of stand for the pasting table.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 9 and 11 and 12, the wallpaper pasting machine shown is of the kind referred to, but in accordance with the invention has means for providing a gap of variable width between the paste-applying roller and the pressure roller or other pressure member or members, the variation being from nil to a predetermined maximum, and has means for varying the horizontal distance between those rollers and the support for the roll of unpasted paper.

The end walls of the paste trough are indicated at I and 2, each wall carrying on its inner face a bearing block 3, in which is journalled the paste-applying roller 4. The lower part of this roller, is use, lies in the adhesive, as will be understood from Figs. 15 and 16. Above the pasting roller 4, but shorter in length, is the so-called pressure roller 5, which is loosely mounted on shaft 6, the shaft being supported by eccentrics or cams 1 on the lugs 8 of the bearing blocks 3. The shaft 6 continues through the walls I, 2, these being slotted to allow it to rise and fall, and at one end is fitted with a knob 9 by which it and the cams may be rotated. As will appear more clearly from Fig. 2, rotation of the cams causes the shaft to rise and fall in the slots, whereby the gap between the rollers 4 and may be varied. Springs it! may be provided to urge the shaft 6 towards the roller 4. The roller 5 may be plain surfaced as shown, or may be grooved, ribbed or knurled or otherwise formed. Instead of the roller 5 being shorter in length than the pasting roll 4, it may be of reduced diameter at the ends. I

In the modification of Fig. 3, instead of cams having a direct lift on the pressure roller, a lever l i is introduced at each end of the trough, pivoted at 12, and carrying the pressure roller at one end whilst the cams I operate on the other end. This construction allows of removal and replacement of the pressure roller with less liability of upsetting the adjustment of the cams, and also allows of a more accurate adjustment.

Referring next to Fig. 4, instead of the pasting roller '4 having asmooth surface, it is provided with resilient members i3, leaving spaces [4 between them, and instead of the roller 5 being supported on rigid supports as in Figs. 1 and 3, it is urged against the resilient members l3 by means of the tension springs l5 and adjusting nuts [6. The degree of compression of members I3 and therefore the cross-section of the spaces M at the nip (upon which depends the amount of paste applied) is variable by variation of the tension in the springs i5. In this figure also, the pressure roller 5 is shown geared to the shaft of the pasting roller 4, by means of the toothed wheels H and i8. These are formed with a pre-determined chordal thickness on the pitch line, to allow for varying mesh as the gears are moved towards or away from each other, and so that there is merely an increased back-lash at the maximum distance apart. This gearing may be adopted in the arrangement of Fig. 1 also. The roller 5 and wheel I8 are mounted on a hollow sleeve !8a which is freely rotatable on shaft 61" The said gap at the pasting nip may be a single continuous gap, with parallel sides, as when two plain-surfaced rollers are employed, as in Fig. 1, or may be a series of interrupted gaps, as'in Figs. 4 to 9. To achieve this latter alternative, the invention may be characterised by the provision of an uneven resilient surface on the paste-applying roller, having a number of depressions or recesses in its surface to carry the paste, and by the provision of adjustable spring or like means for varying the pressure between the two rollers to vary the degree of compression of the resilient protuberances which separate the said depressions. It has been found that, the greater the pressure, and therefore the smaller the depressions due to the greater compression of the surface, the less is the amount of paste applied to the paper, and vice versa.

One convenient mode of obtaining the resilient uneven surface, is by winding the paste-applying roller with a resilient cord, or by placing on the roller a number of side-by-side resilient rings. By selecting a suitable diameter of cord, the maximum size of the space between the successive coils may be determined.

Figs. 5 to 9 illustrate the use of a spirally wound resilient member l9, of circular section at the outer face. A resilient cord is useful for this purpose. By comparing Figs. 5 and 6, or Figs. '7 and 8, it will be seen that the cord of larger diameter leaves fewer but larger spaces 26 at the nip, but these are found to give a heavier coating to the paper. As the springs l5 are tensioned,

and compression takes place, the ridges of the ly, the frame of the machine has one or more supporting positions for the roll, and there are movable extension pieces on the frame, formed with one or more supporting positions, which may ,mmtees extendlbexond' the iframaiior the llargeefiiameter irons, and which t-may be removed or .retr ted tit desired to pack the frame away in its base. The said extensions "may be hingedly ,or slid-ably mounted, or' m-ay be completely detachableand the degree of extension may :vary. -Lock-- meansto hold them inthe extended position maybeprovided. r

Figures 11 and 12 illustrate -two modes of extending the supports for the roll of unpasted paper. In-Fig. 11, theside walls l and 2 of the {paste-box (one wall-onlyisshown) each-have an open-topped slot "to hold *the supporting axle "21 for-the .roll jof paper. whena-ilargeiroll suchras indicated at '23 is to be -supported, there Bis -'no room infthe machine, and the extension arms =2'4are bolted to the sidewalls Land -ZJthe'searms having upturned slotted ends 25 to receive the axle 2| .In Fig. .12 the .side walls I and"2 have openings or slots whichi-nclude a straight part 26 and anotched part .21, whilst thearms 24 carry pins 28 and 29 to lie respectively in the ss'trai-ghtand notchedzparts of the slot. "By raising the outer ends of the arms "24 until-the pins 29 leave the notchesthe bars may he slid inwards or outwards and the pins 29 then dropped into an alternative notch. This arrangement allows of the positioning 'of "the "axle 21 according to "the diameter of the 'roll which "it carries.

.To' accommodate the extra large rolls of paper, and maintain an even feed to the edge trimming means, sufficiently large 'end plates or gu'ides 530 are provided 'i-on-itheiaxle 12.4. iandithese have all edges .Well rounded orchamfered, where contact avitntheedge of the .Pfiper is likely to soccur.

Yfliccording [to another- .feature' .of this. inven- Ztion, themac-hine comprises acollapsible or .foldable frame; a main tableor' platform at one part of the frame and the improved pastingdevice at another part of the frame, and is characterised by an extension table, adapted to be moved into the plane of the main table as an extension thereof, to cover the gap between the main table and the pasting device and/or to cover the pasting device, or to be moved away to a position out of the region of normal use of the main table and pasting device.

Referring to Figs. 10 and 25, the pasting device is mounted on a stand 3 i. This stand has lugs or brackets 32, 33, to receive the cranked bars 34, for supporting a table. The bars 34 support a main table 36, which is normally used during pasting, the paper at being drawn from the machine on to this table with its pasted side uppermost. Carried by the bars 35 is an extension vtableihaving a fixed leaf 3! and a hinged leaf 38, which latter may lie on the ijxed leaf 31, or may be swung over to the position shown in broken liries, to cover the pasting'device. This extension table, when opened out to form a continuous table with the part 36, provides a convenient surface for the carrying-out of several minor operations, such as the hand-pasting of cut borders, or the marking of strips for cutting with shears, say to fit a fireplace surround, Other constructions of extension table may be adopted in place of the hinged flap shown. For instance a slidable leaf may be provided in place of the hinged leaf.

When edge-trimming devices are employed, and the paper to be trimmed is thick, especially when it is embossed, the improved machines may be further characterised in that means is provided for spreading or smoothing out the paper .just priorto its approach to the trimming cutters,

ifurlther means is fingers 45. the pasted surface of .the "paper, as "it passes around the upper roller 5, causing the rod to provided 'ithe operation of the cutters to facilitate ;the.}initia1 feeding of the paper through them.

:Reference shouldznowibe had -to Fig.1'3,:which shows the usezo'f a smoothing-member 3'9 to lie-on the paper as it approaches the edge-"trimming cutters 4!). "In the form shown, this smoothing member is a rod, carried in the curved "pivoted brackets 4|, by which it may be swung clear of the cutters when not required. The bar 39 lies on the patterned .side of the paper :and :is especially useful in the case of an embossed paper.

In order to assist in theinitial feeding of the thick paper to and between the edge-trimming cutters 49, means is provided for manual.operationef :those cutters. The upper cutter of each pair is carried on a spindle 4|, which also carries rubber-tired discs 42 bearing on the paperover a supporting roll (not shown) the friction of the paper on those discs driving the cutters, and such spindle' il extends through one of the side walls of the machine, where itis'fitted with {a knurled knob 43 for manual operation. 'The upper and lowercutters may be geare'd'together, if desired, so that the manual operation will influence bothof them, and the usual'springmeans will be applied to urge the rotarybl'ades against each other.

Referring next to Figs. "1.4 and 15, there is shown in the pasting box, a rod 44 extending across the machine and held in p'ivotedleversor Springs 46 urge therod 4 4 against remove from the paper any flumps or excess thickness of paste which may be on "the paper.

Other spreading and scraping means than a-ro'd may be employed, for example a rubber or like strip, or a brush. Passing through the adjacent wall of the paste box is a push rod 41 by which the rod 44 may be retracted from the paper, against the tension of the springs 46. Such rod carries a short pin 48, which, when moved out of the wall and the push rod is given a part rotation holds the push rod and therefore the rod 44 in the retracted position. For removing excess paste from the margins of the paper, Fig. 16 shows the use of short flexible squeegee members 49, of rubber or the like, these being carried on a rod 50. Figs. 17 to 20 show two such Squeegees, one having coarser ribs than the other. hollow to fit on the rod 50 tightly, and a ribbed vane part 491).

A pasting machine characterised as above, is more efficient if the pressure roller (at least for its eiTective diameter) is shorter than the width of the paper, so that it does not pick up paste at its ends, and, where a large width of gap is to be used at the nip, for heavy pasting, a better result is obtained if a brush or like spreader is provided, after the pasting roller, and if resilient wipers or squeegees are provided to wipe excess paste away from the edges of the paper.

Referring now to Fig. 21, the pasting box is mounted on a stand formed by the box and lid in which it may be packed, as in Fig. 22. The box 51 has a hinged lid 52, and spacing bars 53 are provided to hold the lid at the correct open position for use as a stand. The lid has sockets 52a and carries the brackets 54 for a table 55, whilst a similar table may be attached to the box, and one of them may have a hinged extension corresponding to the flap 3B of Fig. 10. As

Each has a body or hub part 49a,

.and lid close up like a suit-case, a handle 5'! being provided.

In Figs. 23 and 24, the pressure roller 5 is replaced by the shafts 58 and wipers 59 (Fig. 23) or the rollers 60 and endless band 8| (Fig. 24). The shafts 58, and the rollers 60 Will be mounted for adjustment towards and away from the pasting roller 4, similarly to shaft 6 of roller 5, in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

Fig. 25 shows a cross-braced girder-like support for the tables. This has the horizontal portion 62, fitting sockets on the inverted V stand 63 (which may be a box and lid) and the upstanding end portions 64 to support the tables.

- I claim:

1. In a wallpaper pasting machine, the combination of a frame, a paste trough carried by the frame, a pasting roller and a pressure roller journalled in the frame in superimposed relationship and arranged to receive the wallpaper strip therebetween, spring means associated with one of the rollers for causing such roller to apply pressure against the second roller, means for varying the pressure applied by such spring means, and means whereby an increase of pressure causes a reduction in the paste deposit on the paper, such means comprising a helical winding on the pasting roller and formed of a resilient cord which is generally circular when free of pressure, thus leaving paste-carrying cavities between the convolutions whereby the increase in pressure will tend to flatten the winding and reduce the cavities between adjacent turns of the winding.

a Number 2. In a wallpaper pasting machine, the combination of a frame, a paste trough carried by the frame, a pasting roller and a pressure roller journalled in the frame in superimposed relationship and arranged to receive the wallpaper strip therebetween, the axis of the upper pressure roller being movable toward and away from the pasting roller, spring means for urging the pressure roller against the pasting roller, means for varying the spring pressure, and means whereby an increase in pressure causes a reduction in the paste deposit on the paper, such means comprising a helical winding on the pasting roller and formed of a resilient cord which is generally circular when free of pressure,- thus leaving paste-carrying cavities between the turns of. the winding, whereby the increase in pressure will reduce the cavities between adjacent turns.

ALEXANDER THOMAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS- Name Date McCreery Aug. 29, Minahan Mar. 8, Hamelstrom Mar. 8, Williams June 24, Crews Oct. 28,

FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Mar. 12, 1925 Great Britain Sept. 2, 1926 Great Britain June 10, 1948 Number 

